


bei mir bist du schön

by too_much_in_the_sun



Category: Frankenstein - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1950s, Alternate Universe - Historical, Curtain Fic, Domesticity, M/M, gratuitous fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-27
Updated: 2014-04-27
Packaged: 2018-01-21 00:11:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1530836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/too_much_in_the_sun/pseuds/too_much_in_the_sun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's September 1956, and Victor Frankenstein and Henry Clerval are hopelessly in love. They've been married for four years, and are living the American dream -- white picket fence and all.</p><p>Victor is recovering from postpartum depression after the birth of their son, Adam, and Henry has been doing his best to help him recover. But everybody needs a break once in a while, and one morning Victor kicks his husband out of the house with an ultimatum: enjoy yourself, relax, and don't come back until dinnertime.</p><p>And he does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	bei mir bist du schön

**Author's Note:**

> Title from [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eY_ERpf0DQ).

"Really, Henry, how much trouble can we possibly get ourselves into without you?" Victor brushed his hands off on his apron. "You need to take a break sometime, and today's as good a day to do it as any. Go see a movie."

Henry took a long sip of his coffee. "If you're sure you can handle things."

"Of course I can, dear." Victor poured himself a cup of coffee and reached past Henry's shoulder for the little jug of cream. "I used to manage well enough, didn't I?" He replaced the cream on the table and patted Henry's hand. 

Henry said nothing, returning his attention to the newspaper spread out in front of him. Eisenhower was pleading with Americans to help integration along, but Alabama was stubborn as ever. God knew Brenda would bring that up once school got going again, and he shuddered a little at the thought of having to grin and bear it through her tirades against school integration. 

Victor settled himself into the chair opposite Henry, brushing his skirt under him with one practiced hand. 

They sat in amicable silence for a moment.

"Oh, Henry?" Victor said, setting his coffee mug down with a click.

"What is it, honey?" 

"Eddie and Hank are having a dinner party next Tuesday, and they'd like us to come. What do you think?" He tugged absently at one of his earrings. "I'd like to go, but I know school starts on Monday so I thought you might be busy already. Dan says he and Herbert are going to be there, and I'd love to catch up with them."

Henry considered it, running his thumb along the rim of his coffee mug. It was nice of Victor to not just accept the invitation on the spot, and to actually think about his husband's schedule. He'd had to make more than a few embarrassed phone calls apologizing for not making it to dinner parties and pot lucks in the four years they'd been married.

"Well, let me think about it," he said. "Thanks for asking."

Victor flushed red, bringing a little color to his pale cheeks and highlighting the freckles along his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose. "I made a note of it so I wouldn't forget."

Henry took his hand and squeezed it once. "Thanks, hon. It means a lot."

Victor beamed back at him, a rare full-bore Victor Frankenstein smile. "Oh, before I forget." 

He fished in his dress pocket with his other hand, then set a folded check on the table between them. "Can you cash this, darling? You don't have to do it today, but the sooner the better."

"Sure." Henry took out his wallet and tucked the check inside. "Should I deposit half like usual?"

"No," Victor said, after thinking a moment. "You know it's Adam's birthday soon, and I'd like a little pin money to buy him something."

Henry chuckled. "You know, it is  _ your _ money. You don't have to ask me for it."

"Yes, I know." Victor turned Henry's hand over and began to trace patterns on the palm. "But you know I've always been bad with money, and I'd really rather you take care of all that."

"All right. As long as it's what you want, hon."

"It is." Victor brought Henry's hand to his mouth and planted a kiss in the middle of the palm, his dry lips tickling at the skin, before letting Henry have his hand back. "Finish your coffee, it's nearly 9 already."

"What, are you in a hurry to get rid of me?" Henry said teasingly. "Eager to get back to your laboratory?"

"No." He slid out of his chair and stood up. Plucking the jug of cream from the table with one hand and opening the refrigerator door with the other, he slid the cream back into its place next to the eggs and orange juice. "But the sooner you leave, the sooner you'll be back." 

Victor turned back to face the table, swaying his hips deliberately from side to side as he moved, his eyes on his husband's, watching Henry watch him. "Besides, Dr. Cain wants me to stay out of the lab for at least another two weeks. I'll just be here -- alone -- waiting for you --"

"Oh, stop." Henry drained the rest of his coffee, pushed back his chair, and stood, coming around the table to meet Victor in the middle of the kitchen. "You're ridiculous. I won't even be gone that long."

"I'm feeling good for once, Henry," said Victor. "Not enough to go out, but I'd rather not waste it on sitting home and pining. Go see a movie. Get lunch at the diner. Take care of yourself. But come home for dinner, at least."

"Why, do you have something planned?" Henry took Victor's long, graceful hands in his. They were soft-skinned and cool to the touch, only the fingertips marred by faint scars where he had pricked himself with his needle. 

"I thought I'd try and make dinner," he said softly. His long, dark hair was wavier than usual that morning, and Henry wondered if he'd done something to it.

"Oh. Well, I'll hurry back." Henry smiled. "Wouldn't want to miss that."

Victor kissed him gently on the cheek. "You ought to get going. That flying saucer movie you like is playing at the Apollo."

"You're right, it is." He squeezed Victor's hands once, then released them. "Take your pills, all right? I want you to be at your best today."

"I already have, Henry." He hesitated. "But thank you for reminding me."

"You're welcome, my dear." Henry straightened his tie and clapped his hat onto his head. "Kiss me goodbye?"

"Of course." Victor leaned in and met Henry's lips with his, and Henry put one hand up to tousle Victor's hair, to pull him gently closer. He nipped gently at his husband's chapped lower lip, slipped his tongue into the wet silk of his mouth. They had been married for four years (and in two months it would be five), and before that they had courted each other for six years, and Henry had yet to tire of kissing Victor.

They pulled away from each other after a moment. Henry adjusted his hat, and Victor brushed a thumb absently over his lips. Henry could have written sonnets to those lips,  full and cherry-red, their color offset by Victor's fair skin . He had dedicated more than a few of his poems to Victor over the years, and Victor still never seemed to believe that Henry found him genuinely beautiful. 

"I love you, Victor," said Henry.

"I love you too, darling," Victor said, his hands picking nervously at the collar of his dress, smoothing the points. He forced his hands into his dress pockets with a convulsive action. The freckles across his cheekbones still stood out starkly against the faint blush.

"I'll see you for dinner." Henry smiled at him, and Victor returned it with his own small smile.

"Goodbye, dear."

Henry turned and walked down the hallway to the front door. Victor heard him open it, then shut it a moment later. He listened for the sound of Henry's footfalls on the front walk, then for the roar of his starting the car's engine, and for the click of gravel as he pulled out of the driveway.

When he was sure Henry had gone, Victor jerked one of the chairs out from the table, and collapsed into it. His legs felt as though all the muscle had gone out of them.

 


End file.
